CR's Frag Shack

[Hubtech]

and i'm in MS. so i feel your temp/heat/humidity pain.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Not much of an update in a while... nothing has really changed. Just trying to let the system settle in. The display is doing ok, but the frag tank is kinda meh. Not sure what the deal is honestly. Eggcrate is a little funky with something that looks like a slimy white short hair algae. My LPS and soft frags all seem to do well, but some SPS don't seem to enjoy the frag tank while others do... I've lost a few sticks, and some have become pretty drab. Not sure if it was from the quick and dirty move, or there's something with the lighting or eggcrate or travertine tiles leaching or nutrients (excess or lack of... haven't tested)

 

[Coastie Reefer]

i'll have just under 300 gallons... so yeah i'm planning for the humidity.

OH BOY.... you going to do a build thread? That's double what I have!

 

[Hubtech]

Yeah, i'm waiting til i'm done so I can really compose a nice story.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

The frag tank deserves a cocktail every now and then... (benepets and coral frenzy)

Things are doing ok, not great. Lost several frags over the last month or two, but I’m guessing it’s the shocks of a new system. I’m pretty sure I’m running way less nutrients than what was in the 40. My Hanna checker died so I haven’t been able to test PO4 but I can’t get detectable levels of NO3 to save my life! I’m tossing around the idea of dosing nitrate in hopes that the colors bounce back on some of corals.

 

[PerplexyHexy]

The frag tank deserves a cocktail every now and then... (benepets and coral frenzy)

Things are doing ok, not great. Lost several frags over the last month or two, but I’m guessing it’s the shocks of a new system. I’m pretty sure I’m running way less nutrients than what was in the 40. My Hanna checker died so I haven’t been able to test PO4 but I can’t get detectable levels of NO3 to save my life! I’m tossing around the idea of dosing nitrate in hopes that the colors bounce back on some of corals.

I was struggling too with no3, but not po4... I was dosing kno3, but have about 8 fish in tank now. Have a bunch of macros in fuge and got a bigger fuge light where I have been dialing in my photo period for nutrient uptake... watched the brs video on no3 and po4 where they said a good area to be on a 1-2 year old tank and Im around there... Im at 2ppm no3 and .05 po4 and its been like that for about a week now. Ive had a few losses too... sucks, but Im getting there... Been trying to get carx reactor dialed in... hate that thing, ready to toss out the window... also dont use that dehumidifier anymore... i just leave the door open and put a kiddie gate in front of it, crack the window a tad. That thing was costing way too much to run. Hang in there bud... were getting there

 

[PerplexyHexy]

How are things going bud?

 

[PerplexyHexy]

How are things going bud?

 

[Coastie Reefer]

How are things going bud?

Hey man... sorry I guess I missed the notification from your last post. Things are doing ok, newer corals are doing fine, but some of my older stuff is still faded or brown... I think it's just going to take time to recover from the change. I've added a couple more fish and hopefully that'll help with my nutrients. Still need to get some new NO4 or PO4 test kits, I've just been slacking.

I feel you on that dehumidifier! It's a freakin workhorse, but it uses a good bit of juice. I simply have to run mine or it would be like a swamp in the shack. This time of year I can open the window and door when I get home from work for several hours so that's helping. I bet the dehumidifier is running me about 50 bucks a month to run and our Kwh rates are pretty decent (~0.09/Kwh)

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Well... it’s time I come clean and let everyone in on the real reason behind the frag shack. Baby girl #2 due Oct 2nd

 

[PerplexyHexy]

Well... it’s time I come clean and let everyone in on the real reason behind the frag shack. Baby girl #2 due Oct 2nd

Hahahahaha!!!
Congratulations... good news... second kid is always easier...

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Hahahahaha!!!
Congratulations... good news... second kid is always easier...

I hope so. We just started getting full nights of sleep not long ago! LOL

 

[PerplexyHexy]

I hope so. We just started getting full nights of sleep not long ago! LOL

Yeah... the sleep thing doesnt change... lol... but you will remember all the tricks you learned with your first and apply them to the new baby... It was alot easier the second time around... Now my 6 year old is being a great kid and my 3 year old is an absolute terror... was vice versa a year or two ago... whats the age gap for your kids gonna be? Ours is 3 years apart...

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Yeah... the sleep thing doesnt change... lol... but you will remember all the tricks you learned with your first and apply them to the new baby... It was alot easier the second time around... Now my 6 year old is being a great kid and my 3 year old is an absolute terror... was vice versa a year or two ago... whats the age gap for your kids gonna be? Ours is 3 years apart...

Their due dates are 10 days apart from being exactly 2 years. I definitely learned some stuff the first go round!

 

[jamo130788]

Hey @Coastie Reefer - great build thread man! i wanted to know if you had to do anything to those home depot travertine tiles before you used them as frag disks ? Soak them ? or scrape anything off ?

 

[PerplexyHexy]

Atleast you have somewhere to escape now when things get buckwild!!! Hahahhaha

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Hey @Coastie Reefer - great build thread man! i wanted to know if you had to do anything to those home depot travertine tiles before you used them as frag disks ? Soak them ? or scrape anything off ?

I didn’t do much other than rinse them off. Honestly they’re a little big unless you have a really nice coral you want to grow out. I like the weight but wish they came in 3x3 instead of 4x4. You can score and break 6x3 tiles into 3x3 pretty easy though.

 

[jamo130788]

yeah i think i might go the 6x3 route and cut em - thanks man

 

[RichtheReefer21]

Congratulations! Better wrap up everything u wanna do now! T minus 8 months!

 

[Coastie Reefer]

Congratulations! Better wrap up everything u wanna do now! T minus 8 months!

More like, T minus 5 months! o_O LOL